From the Heart
by Serenla
Summary: A powerful Witch, new powers uncovered, a dark Legion in Hogwarts, and the Golden Trio wavers... Ron mustn't succumb to the evil in him, Harry face himself, and Hermione see the truth... and a raging deep inside Draco ignites. All pull strings at Hermione
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own any HP characters except for Akira Yamamura, and other than that nothing else but the plot.

Ab Imo Pectore

(From the Heart's Depth)

Chapter One

Harry Potter awoke to the sounds of laughter. He opened his eyes a crack to see Ron clutching his stomach.

"Whash that?" He grunted. "Why are you guys so happy….

"Well! Finally! Look at this, Harry!" He gestured to the mini figure of Snape wearing women's clothes, waving at them.

"Fred enchanted it to bend and shake his booty too!" Ron laughed, wiping tears of glee from his eyes.

Harry propped himself on his elbows, smiling at them. The sun shined brightly through the cheap windows in the Burrow.

A knock came on the door and without pause Hermione walked briskly in, shooting Ron a disgusted look as he snorted.

She turned to Harry.

"Well, Harry, seeing as you're awake, Mrs. Weasley sent me to ask you if you were prepared?"

She said as she sat beside him on his bed. Then she saw the mini Snape and smiled. Harry crinkled his eyes and yawned.

"Yeah, yeah I'm all ready." said Harry, sinking back into his bedcovers. Hermione gave him one last look before getting up and going out. Ron cocked his head.

"You better get dressed, mate. We're leaving in half an hour."

Harry bolted upright and glanced at his watch. He groaned. In five minutes he was up and ready, dragging his suitcase down the rickety staircase, with Ron at his heels. Hermione met them downstairs as Mrs. Weasley greeted them a good morning, and Fred and George chorused. Mr. Weasley passed by carrying a steaming mug.

"Morning, Harry, Ron, Hermione." He said without even looking up from the paper he clutched.

Harry greeted him back and stuffed pancakes into his mouth. Eating the delicious, mouth watering pancakes, he was reminded of a girl back in Privet-drive, of whom everyone called the Pancake Girl. Oh that one really loved eating pancakes no matter what time of the day. Like her, he preferred just butter with his pancakes.

"Come on everybody. Better get a move on." Mrs. Weasley announced from the doorway. "Wouldn't want to be late, now, would we…"

Shortly after, Harry eased himself in the pillar separating the muggle trains from platform 9 3/4. The platform was filled with many people, either waving goodbye or kissing their children tearfully. Hermione walked back and waved to her parents' a goodbye, while Mrs. Weasley was beginning her tradition of crying while hugging them.

"Ginny! Ginny you be good now! Remember, don't do… oh you know what I mean!" She tearfully squashed her daughter against her as Ginny's eyes went wide. Fred and George exchanged wondering glances. Ron and Harry shrugged.

"You Harry! Oh! Take care!" She did her turn on him. Pretty soon all of them were seated comfortably on the train as Ron waved a final goodbye to his mom and dad.

"Well! Glad that's over!" He sighed. Harry echoed him while Hermione got out a book to read.

"What are you reading, Hermione?" Ron asked absent-mindedly.

"'Teenage Parenting' by world renown physician Katrina Rodriguez." replied Hermione

"What? Did I hear you right?" Ron straightened.

"It's a muggle book, Ron." Replied Hermione nonchalantly

"Well… it's not that.." Ron spluttered, his ears going red.

"Er…. Why are you reading that?" Harry said questioningly.

Hermione finally looked at them and shot them a it's-not-your-business-so-drop-it look. But then she smiled.

"I'm a bit worried, is all. Ever since me and Viktor-"

"Oh we don't want to hear that, now do we Harry!" Ron practically shouted while Harry felt his mouth drop open. Ginny snickered.

"Oh just shut it, won't you? It's just a joke!" Hermione laughed. "I'm reading 'Seventeen.' It's muggle."

Ron spluttered, his ears still red. Harry cleared his throat. _Well!_ He thought, running his hands through his hair. Then he turned his head as the compartment door slid open.

"Well, well, well." Draco Malfoy drawled, his blonde hair slicked back. "If it isn't Potty and his faithful side-kick, Weasel Boy. Oh… and what does that make these two girls here? Hmm? Groupies?" Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly behind him.

"Shut it, will you, you freaking fairy!" Ron made as if to stand when Hermione's hand shot to restrain him.

"What are you doing here, Ferret Boy?" Harry said, his voice hard.

"Really now. How rude. What is that stink, by the way? Too poor to afford water to bathe, Weasleys? Probably. Or is it the Mudblood? That you can do nothing about." Draco crinkled his nose distastefully as he shut the door. Ron snarled and stood while Harry's hand tightened on his. Ginny eyes were frost, but rimmed with red.

"He's just provoking you! Stop it! Just… just ignore him. He's not worth it..." Hermione's voice shook with suppressed rage.

"Yeah? And we're just supposed to accept all his insults with a smile? Give him a cookie in return!" Ron gestured angrily towards his sister, where Ginny was hunched back into her seat, staring icily out the window. Harry shot Hermione an angry look.

"You can't just expect us to take everything lying down, now, can you Hermione…"

"You're going to get in trouble! I'm only worried about what's going to happen to you guys!" Hermione shot back, her face going red.

The room was quiet as Ron sat back down, and Harry tried to calm his breathing down.

The food trolley came, and the lot of them brought food. Then, before Harry knew it, they were disembarking and he saw Hogwarts again. The sun shone brightly against the castle, making it look majestic, in all its glory for all to see. This was it.

They were entering into their sixth year. He glanced back behind him, just in time to see Ron lift his suitcase across his shoulders. _We've all really grown so much..._ He thought as he watched Ron walk toward him, lanky legs carrying him easily.

He was tall, with bright red hair and freckles splattered on his pale face.

Hermione came behind him, long lithe legs flashing underneath her robes. Her hair wasn't even frizzy anymore. Harry surmised it must have been done the muggle way, in a salon somewhere, during summer. Her hair was beautiful. It was lush and shiny.

Straight on top, then curling as it reached near the end, near her waist. It reminded him of Goldilocks and at the same time reminded of a Japanese cartoon he once saw. Hermione caught his eye and smiled. Her eyes were very captivating, he decided. _She's actually very pretty!_

Harry suddenly realized, and blinked rapidly for several seconds.

"Something in your eye?" Hermione asked when she got to him.

"Er.. nothing. I just realized something." He said, clearing his throat. Hermione nodded, and her eyes scanned the crowd. She frowned. Harry turned to follow her eyes. Draco was standing between his two buffoons, and in front of him was a pretty blonde girl, her back pressed against the wall. She was scowling at him, muttering something. Harry didn't need to hear to know that she was cursing him. The girl's face was getting redder and redder as Malfoy said things to her, leering and shooting looks at her chest and legs. Then Draco's hand shot toward the girl's stomach, his hand sliding down. The girl looked stunned, her mouth dropping open.

Beside him Hermione growled and stalked off toward them. It took Harry a second to shake himself and follow her, Ron at his heels.

"Is he bothering you, miss?" She said as she got to them. The girl glanced at Hermione in surprise, then slowly nodded.

Hermione turned to Malfoy.

"You know, If I were you, I'd better get out of here before a teacher sees me. I might just report you for sexual harassment."

She said frostily.

"Why can't you ever mind your own business, you filthy little Mudblood bitch!" Draco spat.

Harry felt his chest tighten as he raised his hand towards Draco's face, with Ron's mouth opening in anger as he too raised a fist towards Draco. They were so fast, Draco had not even realized yet. Then Draco was sprawled back, and before Harry knew it, he had gotten out his own wand and Crabbe and Goyle were also down. With a shriek, Hermione and the girl quickly dragged them away as people turned to look at what the commotion was all about. They still hadn't seen Harry and Ron.

"What do you guys you were doing! You could have gotten into serious trouble!" Hermione demanded, her face red.

"Er… I had to help her get you guys away. She's right you know." The girl said, nodding her head to Hermione. Then she held out her hand towards her.

"I'm Kerrigan Mandragoran, by the way. Thanks a lot for saving me and all. That Draco's a real prat…" She said, her face going tight.

"Yeah….Hermione Granger." Hermione replied, shaking her hand. Harry and Ron introduced themselves in turn. Then Ron turned towards her. He opened his mouth once, but then Harry stopped him, shooting him an drop-it-she-doesn't-want-to-talk-about-it look. Hermione felt her throat tighten. _Was Harry trying to be discreet?_ She thought sarcastically. She didn't want to talk about it. Beside her Kerrigan cleared her throat, but before she could say goodbye, Hermione rounded on her.

"What year are you? How come I've never heard of you before?" She asked.

"Well… sixth year." She said, eyeing Hermione. "Slytherin."

"Oh." Harry breathed, while Ron simply looked blank. Hermione stared.

"Uhm… not everyone in slytherin is like Malfoy you know…" Kerrigan said, then turned away. Harry watched her walk away before speaking.

"Well.. she does seem nice." He said.

"And really pretty too." Ron chimed in. Harry and Hermione turned to look at him. "Well, she really is!" He shot defensively as a smile tugged at Hermione's lips. Ron was getting redder so Harry decided to save him.

"Come on guys, let's get a move on. We're practically the only ones left out here." He said, then they went inside Hogwarts.

The Great Hall looked majestic. Harry, Hermione and Ron hurried over to the Gryffindor table where they were greetedcheerily by their fellow housemates. From up front, Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the doors burst open to reveal little first years hurrying towards the Sorting Hat. Harry smiled. All of them were so little. Surely he wasn't that tiny and scared looking when he first came inside the Great Hall. Then decided that he was. The Sorting Hat sang a new song as his stomach grumbled, then he smiled as Ron's echoed his. Hermione shot them a disgusted look. Pretty soon the sorting ended. Ron looked eagerly at the table for the food to start appearing. Harry waited for Dumbledore to finish his little speech. When the end of the speech was near, Harry too looked eagerly at the table, but Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"This year, however, we have an exchange student. I can't remember the last time we ever did. Maybe this was never done before." His eyes twinkled. Harry's head shot up, as was Ron's. Hermione was quietly listening, hands on her lap.

"From the finest magic school in Asia, let me welcome Akira Yamamura!" Dumbledore clapped his hands vigorously, and pretty soon the Great Hall was alive with the smattering of hands. A cloaked figure hurried towards the Sorting Hat. Sleek, shiny black hair swung gently as a girl swung it to her head. Then the Great Hall was devoid of all sound except a cough here and there.

"SLYTHER-" The Sorting Hat abruptly stopped, and Harry saw Dumbledore shift. Hermione grunted. _This never happened __before.."_ Harry thought as he frowned.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat bellowed. The Great Hall was deadly quiet. The Gryffindors weren't too pleased that someone who was almost a slytherin was put into their midst. Then angry mutters were heard from the slytherin table.

Dumbledore started to clap, and soon everyone followed politely. Akira gently replaced the Sorting Hat on the stool, then started uncertainly towards them.

"Congratulations!" Hermione gestured to the empty spot beside her. Her voice was unnecessarily loud. It took Harry a second to "dig" her, then he followed.

"Yeah! Come sit here with us!" He gestured wildly to the seat in beside him. Ron looked blankly at them, then he too waved to her. And before Akira could sit by Hermione, a dozen other Gryffindors had offered her to sit beside them. When the gryffindors realized that the slytherins were muttering angrily beneath their breaths, their greetings were more loud and enthusiastic. Harry grinned at Akira. Hermione introduced them. When the noise had died down, Dumbledore once stood up then made a little speech, ending with "now here's the grand Hogwarts welcoming feast!" Harry didn't hesitate to gobble down food. He was too hungry. Beside him, Ron was stuffing mountains of food on his plate, grinning sheepishly at Hermione and Akira, who were eyeing the both of them.

"So Akira," Hermione turned to her. "I think it's quite obvious, but let me hear it from you. Where are you from, exactly?"

"Japan. Erohim School of Magick." Akira replied. Her voice was cool and melodious. It was coolly serene, Harry decided. It distinctly reminded him of bells chiming.

"Well, welcome to Hogwarts." Harry said through a mouthful of pudding. Hermione shot him a disgusted look, then turned to her own plate. Ron was grunting something through his mouth, gesturing at Akira. Harry didn't even bother to try to decipher.

He watched Akira from the corner of his eye take food from this platter and that, eating in small bites, her back erect, hands graceful. He decided she was a pureblood from the way she moved. It reminded him of Draco Malfoy, and he briefly wondered, since Akira almost made it to slytherin…

He started to study her. Her face was heart-shaped. It was small with the white complexion that the Japs tended to have. _Like __Cho_, he though. Her hair was near to her waist, like Hermione's. But where Hermione's curled at the bottom, Akira's was sleek and shiny all the way. She was very pretty, like Cho Chang, but in a very different way. And he remembered her walking toward him earlier. She was tall too. Probably halfway between him and Hermione. That was tall, for an Asian, Harry thought, comparing her to Cho. _Bleh! Let me eat!_ Harry thought, turning his attention back to the food. From across him, he heard Hermione and Akira talking. He was tempted to look up, but then decided against it. Shortly after, he was following Hermione back up the Gryffindor tower. Hermione was gesturing here and there, pointing this and that to Akira.

"Oh, that's Peeves, the poltergeist. He's a pest really.." Hermione pointed to a flying Peeves, jeering and laughing manically above them.

"Er… Hermione, aren't you a prefect? The first years?..." Harry said.

"Nah, McGonagall herself told me to show Akira around." She said without turning around. Akira, however, turned her head to study him. Then she smiled abruptly, and Harry felt himself smile in return. _She's really pretty…._He thought vaguely.

"Roasted Roaches." Hermione said to the Fat Lady, and they swung inside. Inside, it was warm. Students here and there were talking animatedly to friends, telling each other about their summers. Ron came huffing up behind him.

"Those first years are a bunch of stuck up gits!" He exclaimed, his face red.

Harry grinned, and Hermione shot Ron a reproachful look. Akira was busy studying her new surroundings.

Hermione turned her attention back towards her and took her hand. _She's so comfortable to be with. I feel as if we're good __friends already._ Hermione smiled to herself. Her hand was cool, but it quickly warmed-up. Akira smiled at her, and Hermione led her to the Girls' Dormitories, introducing her to her people.

"Oh hi there!" Lavender somewhat squealed while Parvati solemnly shook Akira's hand. Harry watched their backs as the door closed, Lavender and a couple of other girls following closely behind. Harry turned to Ron.

"What?" He said as he noticed Ron's expression.

"Nothing. They seem to go on pretty well, the lot of them." He said, plopping heavily into a couch near the fireplace. Harry followed suit. He smiled.

"You don't like her taking away Hermione?" He grinned. Ron shot him a look.

"No." He said vehemently. "Well… Hermione would have been here beside us by now, talking about her summer..."

"She'll be back. She's our best friend." Harry reassured Ron. He didn't understand why he felt something tug his stomach at what Ron mentioned. He felt suddenly queasy. The door to the Girls' Dormitories swung open, and Hermione walked to them, then plopped down beside Harry. He felt warmer just by her presence…

"Ah, everyone's keeping her. Can't even talk to her with a crowd like that, though she tried to capture my attention a few times. I can tell she doesn't like the attention." Hermione put a finger to her lips. She seemed thoughtful. Harry saw Ron visibly relax, and he felt himself grin in response. Together, the three of them talked, talked and talked. They were once again Gryffindor's Golden Trio, but for how long, nobody knew.

End of Chapter


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Period.

Chapter Two:

Morning came and Harry gave a huge yawn. Beside him, Ron pulled a sweater over his head. They walked stiffly to the Common Room, where Hermione was chatting animatedly with Akira. Akira had a huge grin on her face, which only grew bigger when she saw Harry. He felt the back of his neck heat up.

"I was just telling him a little about you, Harry." Hermione laughed when Harry shot her a dark look.

"You're really accomplished, aren't you… and brave too." Akira grinned, her cheeks slightly pink.

Harry grunted and mumbled in return, running his hand through his hair. Together, the four of them went to the Great Hall. Then Akira veered off to the Slytherin table, looking back at them.

"I have business there. With a relative. I'll be back." She said to them. Hermione nodded then sat down on their table, with Ron and Harry exchanging puzzled looks. The inter-house rivalry was really intense, especially with Voldemort back on track.

"She has a relative there. It seems she had a message to pass from her mother." Hermione said absent-mindedly as she piled food on her plate.

"Who is her cousin, exactly?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, who is it?" Ron chimed in.

"Draco Malfoy." Hermione said a-matter-of-factly.

Ron made a funny noise in his throat. Harry scowled.

"I bet she's in Gryffindor to spy on the lot of us!" Ron exclaimed.

Several heads from the table raised and looked at them curiously, then Ron swallowed and lowered his voice, veins bulging on his neck.

"We know better than to mix in the lot of them." He finished very convincingly.

"Well, she is connected to Draco's mother. Very distantly, I assure you. Barely, even. In fact, I don't even think they're really connected and all. But her father knows Lucius. And in that "connection", might I say to you that she is a lot closer connected to Sirius Black." Hermione retorted, avoiding Harry's eyes.

Harry felt his stomach clench tightly at the mention of Sirius's name. He closed his eyes. When he opened them, Ron was looking at him curiously.

"Are you okay, Harry?" He said. Hermione didn't look up.

"Yeah… yeah…" Harry answered, sitting down and trying to focus on the food instead. Siruis had died when he was in fifth year, going through a passageway to the dead. That was all he knew. Upon attempting to ask Dumbledore about all that, the Headmaster just told him to accept it as it is. Voldemort was back. And Harry's time in Hogwarts was almost done. It was almost ending.

"Woah… that Draco Malfoy's a real prick." Akira sniffed, sitting heavily beside Harry.

"Oh that he is." Harry said. "We gryffindors over here hate him."

Hermione made a funny noise in the back of her throat, and Ron shot her a dark look. Hermione looked up, her face all too innocent for Harry's comfort.

"Don't we, Hermione?" He said, an edge in his voice. Ron continued to glare at her accusingly, while Akira just looked from one to the other, her brows wrinkling.

"Yeah. We hate him here." Hermione's voice was a bit higher than usual... but Harry decided to let it go for now.

Akira just shrugged. After breakfast, the four of them were marching to their first class, which was Potions with the Slytherins. Harry turned to Akira.

"Will you be staying for the whole year?" He asked. Ron and Hermione turned their eyes on Akira.

"No… probably just after Christmas… after that, I'm back where I belong. But the Headmaster of my school, and my father, have been thinking of sending me here permanently, to work. Because Dumbledore had asked for their help, with that – that Dark Lord and all. They seem to think that I would represent them just fine, while all the rest remain there to do what needed to be done… That Dark Lord has lots of supporters on the other side of the world." She trailed off, a thoughtful finger on her lip. "I seem to be talking a lot. Er… that's a first. So much for secrecy." She said.

"We'll never tell anyone. And no one else had heard you." Hermione said, Ron and Harry nodding their agreement. Akira was deep in thought. _That's the first time I ever babbled without thinking it over first…_ She thought, a frown now marring her face.

"Well if it isn't the Golden Trio, and my dear beloved relative." Somebody drawled behind them.

Akira looked back coolly, giving Draco a cool look. She met Harry's eyes and he rolled it. She noticed Hermione's neck was flushing. _But her eyes are filled with anger…_ She noted, then looked back at Draco and caught him checking her out. Her eyes widened and the strands of hair on the back of her neck rose. Before she could open her mouth, Hermione grabbed her hand and they ignored Malfoy. They sat in the back, Hermione and Akira on the front and Harry and Ron behind them.

"What's professor Snape like?" Akira asked under her breath.

"Well, Harry and Snape hate each other. Snape is very unreasonable towards Harry. I guess I hate him too. And most definitely does Ron." Hermione answered. She was itching to tell Akira of the Order of the Phoenix, but she wasn't sure if she could be trusted. _I want to tell her.._ _Maybe someday… when we've gotten to know each other better._ She decided.

"Can you speak a few Japanese words for me?" She smiled. Akira looked at her blankly, then grinned, her cheeks holding a tinge of pink.

"Well, the reason why the Headmaster sent _me_, of all the people back there, is that I can speak nine languages fluently. Not that I'm the only one, but I'm near the top of my class, and the Headmaster thinks I'm the most suitable candidate for it. More so than even those above me, like the seventh years and the like." Akira added hurriedly. "And my family's really powerful and all…" She continued, her cheeks now definitely red. Hermione felt her tongue at the top of her mouth. A small "oh" was all she managed. Akira looked away, embarrassed.

"Well, today, as our first lesson, I thought it might have been suitable if we were to make a fairly hard potion, just to test your levels…" Snape swept over them. "Instructions on the board," He said, waving his wand, and the instructions magically appeared. "And oh, I'd like to welcome our new student, Ms. Akira Yamamura." He continued, his mouth twisting at the foreign name. "The Headmaster has talked with us… he said you'd have no trouble whatsoever catching up on our lessons?" He raised an eyebrow. Akira answered a no in a clear voice that carried all over the classroom.

"Good." Snape looked her over one last time before turning to his desk.

Harry felt sweat drop from his forehead as he added dried snakeskin gout, and he shot a look at Hermione's cauldron. It was shooting sweet-smelling emerald smoke, just as it should, whereas Harry's was shooting smelly puffs of dark, dark forest green. He noticed that Akira's was exactly the same as Hermione's.

"They seem to be two of a kind." Ron said beside him, indicating Hermione and Akira with a nod of his head.

"Yeah… Hermione's found someone to contend with." He replied. Hermione shot them a frosty look. Then she glanced at Akira. Harry followed her gaze, to where Akira was already straightening up, stretching cramped muscles. She noticed them looking, and Harry gave her an impish grin. Hermione sniffed. She had noticed Akira never even glanced at the instructions.

"Aren't you going to double-check?" Hermione asked as she bent over her cauldron.

"Already did." Akira replied.

Harry looked back as a shadow passed over him.

"Well… very good Ms. Yamamura. I had expected at least five more minutes until everyone was finished." Snape said from behind them, glancing at Hermione, "Five points to Gryffindor."

Harry felt his eyebrows rise, and Hermione looked stunned.

"Well, that's shocking." Ron muttered under his breath. Akira simply looked grave and nodded politely to Snape.

A short moment later, class ended, and all of them marched to Snape to hand out their potions. Only Hermione and Akira weren't given assignments.

"Er, gotta go. I've taken up Arithmancy." Akira said, turning to go.

"But Hermione also has Arithmancy." Harry blurted.

Akira turned to look at Hermione, who gave a soft "oh." Then she took Hermione's hand, and together, they went off chatting quietly.

"I thought she was put out from having only been second best…." Ron shook his head.

"Yeah… she must have received quite a shock. I guess Hermione's so used to being the smartest, now, eh? But at least she didn't hold it against Akira…" Harry said. Ron grunted incoherently.

"Has anyone of you people seen Akira?" A voice said behind them.

"Harry turned and wished he hadn't. There, in front of him, studiously avoiding his eyes, stood Cho Chang. Her face was red, and the way she ignored him might as well have blasted sirens screaming "I don't see Harry in front of me!"

"She went off with Hermione to Arithmancy. You should still catch them around the corner if you hurry." Ron answered. Cho nodded thanks and hurried off, with her band of giggling girls following closely behind. Only now they weren't giggling. They actually gave Harry cold looks, and some of them sniffed disdainfully.

Ron shrugged at Harry, then proceeded to their next class unobtrusively.

"Uhm…" Ron trailed off, looking at the floor.

Harry glanced over at him, but then he bent his head again, concentrating hard on their various assignments strewn across the table. The Common Room only held a few people, besides him, Ron, Hermione and Akira. Hermione sat idly reading a book, while Akira was doodling on a piece of parchment. Harry had glimpsed some of it, and it was quite good. Television material, even. Ron had given up on his homework, choosing instead to daydream. Harry shook his head. Already several weeks into the school-year, they had a lot of homework piled on them. He wondered vaguely how Hermione and Akira found time to finish their homework without even seeming to do them.

"Er… what makes a Spotted Hungarian Forest Fire spit purple flame?" He asked, looking up from his work.

"Every third full moon of the year, when they are attacked by Flying Purple Trixies…" Akira replied absent-mindedly before Hermione could even open her mouth.

"Er… Flying Feather – oh never mind. Thanks." Harry bent back t his work. Ron finally gave himself a shake and turned to his share of the pile of homework.

"First Quidditch practice tomorrow, Harry. Angelina told me to remind you." Hermione said. "And tryouts too, for beaters and the like. Chasers too" Hermione added as an afterthought. Some had already graduated, leaving the Gryffindor team widely open.

"Oh yeah. Something to look forward to." Harry smiled, and he heard Ron sigh beside him.

"You play Quidditch?" Akira asked Hermione.

"Oh no, just these two over here." She replied hastily.

"I love playing Quidditch." Akira said a-matter-of-factly.

"You could go tomorrow. What position do you play?" Ron asked, interested.

"Well, back at home, I play Seeker. I love being one… But I've always wondered what it feels to play, say, as a Beater." She said, her voice warming.

"Well, jolly good! Come tomorrow with us!" Ron said enthusiastically.

"Sure." Akira smiled at him.

The door to the Girls' Dormitories opened and a few of the other sixth year girls went out, headed by Katie Bell, laughing loudly. When they passed by Akira, they gestured for her to come with them. Akira looked over to them.

"We're going exploring all 'round Hogwarts. I've always wanted to go exploring around in this place. Seems a bit Dark." She grinned.

"Oh! We could show you!" Hermione said hastily from the couch. Harry looked over and agreed with her.

"Nah, it will be really better this way. I kinda like the idea of Gryffindor's Golden Trio." She smiled, waving goodbye as she went out the door, surrounded by the girls as Katie held her arm importantly.

"Well, that was tactful of her." Hermione said slowly.

"I wonder what she meant by that." Ron said.

"Dunno…. But she was good company really, it's just that I guess she was a little left out sometimes." Hermione mused while Harry frowned.

"She felt out of place?" He asked.

"Yeah… I guess, that is." Hermione said.

The rest of the night passed by without incident. The next morning, Harry awoke with a start, drenched in sweat. He had been having one of those dreams again, where Voldermort had taken Hermione and Ron. The strange thing about it was, this time Akira had appeared, a spectator as Voldemort tortured Hermione. His hand drifted to his scar, where it was burning madly. The cool dawn made him shudder. The other students were still snoring. Unable to go back to sleep, Harry darned a heavy cloak and went outside. Hogwarts was eerily silent, every soft step heard. Harry gave a start when he realized he had reached the dungeons, where not far from there the Slytherin House resided. He gave a little shiver and took another path, one that led him farther and deeper into Hogwarts than he ever had dared. Something was compelling him to… Harry squinted in the darkness. It was, after all, only four in the morning. Something skittered behind him, and Harry whirled quickly, his robes a blur. There was nothing there. He raised a hand to his chest, where his heart was beating erratically. After a few minutes, Harry went on his way, taking another winding path that slowly led to where he could get back to his own quarters. _It really is cold down here… how can the slytherins stand it?_ He thought. Harry came across a wide, forbidding door that suddenly appeared as he rounded the corner. He frowned. There was nothing like this that he had ever heard, and it couldn't have been the room they had used for the D.A. That one was floors up. He vaguely thought that he was even below the Slytherins' quarters. Something suddenly gripped him, to go in and see what was on the other side. Harry took a deep breath, easing the door open, sighing when it was clear that it would open with no problems. He had expected it to be locked. He eased himself in stealthily, crouching beside large tables, then he straightened. It was a very big room, with bookshelves filled up to the ceiling with hard volumes. The books looked really, really old. _Why aren't they in the library?_ He thought. He approached one and he squinted at the unfamiliar writings.

_Not even English, _he thought. All around where strange objects, with chains and glasses attached to several. He frowned. He turned and found an archway leading to another room. Harry squinted harder. Vision was really poor, and the other room looked pitch black. As he was about to enter the other room, something made him stop. The hair on the backs of his neck rose, and a sudden foreboding consumed him. Without thinking, Harry crouched to all fours and stealthily entered, using couches and tables for cover. From something in the middle of the room. Harry held his breath as a figure slowly rose from the middle, where it was sitting yoga style. It laughed, chime like sounds sending chills down his spine. As Harry's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he recognized Akira Yamamura's face filled with ecstasy.

End of Chapter


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

Harry made a small sound on the back of his throat, and Akira's face zoomed directly to the spot where he was hiding. Harry broke into sweat. He was sure he had ducked before she could have seen him, but still… When nothing happened, Harry tentatively looked up. Akira was looking at something on the far side of the room, her face a mask of concentration. He got a good look at her eyes. _It's like… it's like dead people's eyes!_ He thought with alarm. _Those eyes… they're dead! Blank… lifeless… _

Then suddenly, a great whirring sound came from where she was looking, a dim silvery light lighting up the room. Harry's head whipped, looking intensely at the direction where it had come from. There, right before his very eyes, something circular was spinning ever much faster. It started as a very small circular thing, whirring bigger and bigger until it was big enough for a man to step through. Harry held his breath. _Like… a – a gateway?_ He thought vaguely.

Akira reclined back, gazing intently at something on the other side of whatever it was she was looking at. Then suddenly, her wand was in her hand and she hissed something, and _blue-black lightning_ whisked from her wand into the gateway. A second later, a ball of silvery substance balanced on her palm, and that she threw to the gateway. A second later, the room was once again clouded in darkness. Harry felt numb. Akira was reclining lazily against a table, sweat glistening on her forehead. As if just realizing that she was sweating, she wiped them angrily on her sleeve, then grimaced.

"You shouldn't let emotions touch you so easily, so-called Daughter of the Night." Snape said tightly as he entered the room.

Akira's eyes flashed, then once again they became the dead eyes, boring into Snape. He looked at her speculatively. Harry's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. _What is she? What is Snape doing here? What is she doing here? what IS going on?_

"You know as well as I that emotions are very, very dangerous." Snape continued, and Harry was snapped back into reality.

"I know. Just give me a little more time. Suppressing emotions seems harder than I thought." Akira droned tonelessly.

"That's enough for now. You better get some rest. You still have a long way to go." said Snape. He went out.

Akira just stood there, a finger to her lips in deep thought. Harry waited, his legs cramping. He was sure he'd be discovered if he so much as moved an inch. Then Akira visibly collected herself, walking slowly out the room. But before she was out, she turned her head. And made eye contact with Harry. Shocked, Harry felt immobile to move anything. He just stared at her staring at him. Then, after what seemed like endless hours, Akira gave a small smile and went out.

Harry shook himself. He breathed slowly. After a while, he went back to the Gryffindor Tower, and snuggled himself among the sheets of his bed. Ron was still snoring as the first ray of light crept lazily across Hogwarts. After a few minutes contemplating what had happened, Harry felt the fingers of sleep brush against his eyes.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows as the sound of a door creaking open awoke her. She muttered angrily under her breath and opened one eye. Black hair swayed as Akira majestically swept by her, sitting down on her bed besides Hermione's. She turned her head discreetly, and observed Akira as she sighed. Akira looked directly at Hermione, squinting in the dark. Hermione kept looking at her. She knew Akira couldn't see her eyes. On the other bed, Akira was still quietly studying what she thought was Hermione's sleeping form. Her eyes traveled from Hermione's lush hair to her slender legs that had tangled its selves on her blanket, resting for a while on her toes. For some reason, Akira smiled. Dark lines traced her eyes as Akira sighed once more, heavily this time. After a while, she plopped down to bed. Hermione wasn't sure when the other fell asleep, for even waiting until she fell asleep herself, Akira was still as quiet as the dead.

Lightning illuminated Hermione's face as she looked into the dark gray sky. Thunder pealed every other second, and the wind blew Hermione's shift wildly across her legs, her hair billowing behind her. She stood on the top of a hill, over-looking a valley that was filled with dead bodies that sprawled on every inch of the ground. _The Valley of the Dead…_ She thought. Overhead ravens were shouting with glee as they descended one corpse after another, pecking flesh and gouging out eyes that stared unseeingly on that battleground.

"Horrible, isn't it." A voice said behind her.

Without turning her head, Hermione nodded silently. She felt as if she was in a trance, her body feeling as if it were floating in the sky.

"Look's like the end of the world, doesn't it. This will happen though, exactly as we see it. Unless something will dramatically change it, this is our future."

Again Hermione nodded. It really looked as if it were the end of the world. Wizards and witches dressed in dark robes were piled unto each other as were the wizards and witches dressed in bright colors, as many men as there were women. There were even children. There looked to be thousands of bodies, hundreds of thousands. Maybe even _millions…_ Hermione shuddered.

"I see this all the time." The voice continued, this time the voice tight with suppressed emotion.

Hermione tilted her head. On the far side of the valley, a huge wall of fire was blazing, the land there scorched black, stumps and still intact black trees wailing in despair, those that had black branches seemingly reaching out hands to the sky, as if begging for something. The sky there was red. As Hermione squinted, over there the corpses had decayed to the level of skeletons, which were hanging or nailed upside-down on crosses. As time passed on and Hermione stood there staring, she felt as if she were being gently sucked into the unknown. Slowly, she lifted one leg after another, ever so slowly down the hill, towards the valley of death. After what seemed like the fifth step, the same voice called out behind her.

"Stop!" It said urgently. Then more loudly, "Stop!"

Hermione kept going on, ignoring the voice that rose with each call. She felt… compelled… to go on. Something was calling her, and she knew she didn't have enough power to resist. Then something was bounding behind her, and a second later a hand was holding her arm in a vice-like grip. Hermione still faced the valley, straining her ears. Hermione looked down on her palm, staring at the half-moon shaped cuts as blood slowly trickled out. She had clenched her fists tightly, her own nails digging into her skin.

"Stop it, Hermione… Fight it…" The voice now pleaded.

Hermione held herself stiffly, listening to the wind eagerly. Then she slumped suddenly, leaning all of her weight on the person behind her. Tears filled her eyes as she cried wretchedly.The person behind her supported her completely, both arms around Hermione as she sobbed with all her might against the person's chest, her arms painfully gripping the person. Slowly, she disengaged herself and looked into the person's face. And stared into Akira's black eyes, eyes that were filled with grief. A small voice in the back of Hermione's head wondered briefly why she wasn't surprised at the other girl's presence at all. Then Akira nodded to something behind Hermione. Hermione turned, and followed Akira's gaze. There, on the top of a small rise, was a body huddled against a boulder. It was all alone, away from the rest of the corpses. Hermione strained her eyes and she saw dark brown hair that was messy, a lightning shaped scar on the forehead, then startlingly green eyes that stared unseeingly right through her. She opened her mouth to scream as blackness enveloped her.

Hermione bolted upright, sheets tangling against her. Her breaths came in rugged gasps, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She raised a sweat-drenched hand towards her eyes, looking at the half-moon cuts that were still raw and red. Her head whipped to the bed next to hers, where Akira was sitting quietly, staring at her.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked gently. Hermione opened her mouth several times before she was able to make a sound without choking.

"It's you!" She gasped. "Ever since you came here, weird stuff has been happening! What are you doing to me?" As the words left her mouth, she knew none of it was real. Akira seemed to have read her mind, and gave a small smile.

"No. You know the truth, Hermione." Akira said quietly.

She stared at Hermione for a while, until Hermione got so disconcerted that she snapped a few choice words to her. Akira only stared more intently.

"Let me show you something." Akira said slowly. Hermione looked at her, scowling. But Hermione had always been a curious girl. She couldn't have let this pass for the world, though she tried to deny that at first.

"Go ahead." She said after a few minutes of staring into Akira's black eyes.

Akira glanced at their fellow gryffindors, all of whom were already stirring in their beds. A few had sat up in bed, stretching this way and that. Katie Bell wriggled in her bed, arms outstretched and toes curling, her blanket half on the floor. Akira smiled. She turned to Hermione.

"How about later, after dinner? Harry needs to see it too. I don't know about Ron, though." She said slowly.

"You're not who you seem to be, are you?" Hermione asked. Akira just shook her head. Then, abruptly, she turned to snuggle in her own covers, wriggling until she found a comfortable position. She closed her eyes and started to fall asleep immediately. Hermione followed her, and soon, she was gently snoring.

When she awoke, it was already nine in the morning. Akira had already gone, and Hermione was the only one left in the room, except for a chubby girl that was still snoring loudly on the other side of the room. Hermione wrinkled her nose. She couldn't wait to be Head Girl, what everybody was telling her she'd be when they were in the right year. She idly wondered who'd be the Head Boy. Throwing back the covers, she prepared for the morning, thankful that it was a weekend. She found the Common Room to be full of people, where Harry and Ron were waiting for her patiently. Akira wasn't there.

"Where is she?" She asked without thinking.

Ron shot her a puzzled look, though Harry understood who she meant by "her".

"I don't know. I haven't seen her all morning." He said, and then proceeded to tell them everything that happened to him down in the dungeons, about Akira's strange magic and Snape.

"Really? She works for you-know-who then!" Ron exclaimed.

"No." Harry immediately said, Hermione right behind him. Ron puffed his chest indignantly, then, to Harry and Hermione's surprise, nodded silently. Hermione wondered whether she would tell them about her dream, then decided against them. She would tell Harry later, without Ron.

"Let's just act as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and see where that will get us." Hermione said, and Harry agreed. Ron, though, looked doubtful. Then he too agreed.

"Harry, the Quidditch meeting's in thirty minutes. The tryouts too." Ron reminded him. Harry gave a start.

"Let's grab breakfast then." He said. Ginny came bounding through the Fat Lady, gesturing for Hermione to join her. Hermione waved to Harry and Ron, then went to join the pale, flaming redhead girl. Harry and Ron started after them, to the Great Hall. After breakfast, they were about to go when Harry stopped short.

"Didn't Akira say she'll come with us?" He turned to Ron, who had obviously forgotten.

Just then Akira came walking briskly toward them.

"I thought you guys had forgotten all about me." She smiled at them. For some reason, Harry smiled back, his heart in it, though he had told himself hours before to be wary around her. Ron, however, frowned. Harry nudged him from under his robes, and Ron grunted.

"Yeah. Come on, then. Angelina raves madly if anyone gets late." Ron said, then he too grinned. Akira's face was filled too much with open excitement and anticipation that they both found it hard not to be easy around her. During the walk to the Quidditch field, Akira was chatting animatedly with them about Quidditch that both Harry and Ron found it hard not to really like the raven-haired girl.

"Right on time." Angelina breathed down at them as they arrived.

"You are joining the tryouts?" She asked Akira. Akira nodded politely to her. Angelina opened her mouth then decided against it.

"Okay, tryouts are starting in five minutes. Team members change to your uniforms. Open spots are for two beaters, and one chaser." She announced to the small throng that had gathered outside her office.

"Good luck. I hope you get the spot." Harry smiled at her before turning to follow Ron, who was already shuffling away. Akira suddenly turned to Harry.

"I want to be a beater!" She suddenly grinned broadly.

"What?" Harry was taken aback, sure he had heard wrong. Then Akira repeated herself.

"Well… most beaters are guys… but why not?" He grinned, refusing to mention that _all_ the beaters he knew were guys. He wasn't about to burst her bubble. If she wants to be a beater, then why not? He grinned at her before disappearing behind the door to their locker, what Akira hoped she someday will be able to enter. Akira settled back comfortably against the grass as she looked at hopeful player after player competing for Angelina's approval. When it was her turn, Angelina calling her name, she walked confidently toward her.

"What position are you vying for?" Angelina asked briskly.

"Beater." Akira replied confidently, unable to hide the glint of anticipation from her eyes.

"Beater?" Angelina asked again tentatively. When Akira repeated herself, Angelina grinned broadly.

"Now, that's the spirit! Just do good in there!" She said heartily.

Akira gripped her broom tightly, and Angelina hooted softly as she noticed the brand. It was a 'Black Plague', a broom that was by far more expensive and faster than the Firebolt by a large margin. It wasn't manufactured anymore; there were only three of them in the entire world. And they can't be bought just like that. You had to earn them first before you were deemed to buy them. Angelina knew this, because she had come across it in one of the library books. The Black Plague was too fast, that players had died trying to control it. Of course, they can always go slow, but the temptation to shoot like lightning was far too great. They had flown to the broom's limit. And died, crashing down to the ground because they can't handle such speed, or simply because it wasn't humanly possible to. Angelina was tempted to stop Akira, but then she decided against it. She wanted to see her performance. Angelina flew higher and higher, keeping an eye on the other girl as she swiftly flew following the flying bludgers. A few other players, some contestants, were also eyeing the girl. The Beaters would have to hit one of their teammates, for practice. Seamus, who was trying for Chaser, was passing by Akira, the Quaffle in his innocent hands, when, to Angelina's surprise, Akira moved with such speed. Akira whipped the bludger so fast that Seamus never saw it. All Angelina saw was a brown blur that zoomed towards Seamus, then he fell, clutching his chest, where Akira had aimed. Luckily, Seamus managed to hang to his broomstick. As the Quidditch players started toward him, Akira was already there, helping him climb back to his broom. When Angelina arrived, Akira was already giving Seamus what seemed like chocolate.

"Sorry about that, really. I didn't mean to hit so hard…" Akira looked at Seamus with such a sorry look that Seamus, still clutching his chest and breathing raggedly, forgot all about the pain and stared into her face.

"Uhm… that special chocolate will help." Akira said, disconcerted. Then she flew away, reminding everyone that they still had to finish with the tryouts. Angelina there and there decided that Akira was a keeper.

"That was amazing flying!" Ron said to Akira as they were walking back.

"Yeah. You must've been something back in your school." Harry said. Akira just smiled.

"You played Seeker back there, right? I'd sure hate to see who'd catch the Snitch first, if you and Harry both played Seekers for opposing teams." Ron continued, and Harry had to agree with him. Harry had watched her flying, and he couldn't deny the small voice creeping in the back of his head, saying, "She's better than you, just look at her fly!"

Without doubt, Akira had gotten the position, though Angelina had wanted her to try for Chaser position, to see what would happen. Akira had declined, saying her heart was happy being a Beater. Angelina had sullenly agreed.

They rounded a corner as Hermione came hurrying toward them. She nodded to Akira, her eyes traveling from the girl's shiny black hair to the end of her robes. Then, oddly, Hermione blushed. The hallway was empty.

"Oh God! That feels sooo good!" Somebody whimpered as they rounded a corner.

Hermione felt her jaw drop as she saw Lavender and Parvati in a lip-lock, Lavender's arms around Parvati as the latter crushed her against the wall. They were too busy to notice anything else. Akira grinned suddenly, a wide grin that brightened her whole face, making Hermione think that she was by far the prettiest girl she's ever seen. Harry stood still, blinking at the couple. Ron opened his mouth and Hermione's hand shot out to clamp them tightly.

"Let's get out of here!" She mouthed to them.

Ron briskly turned his back, though Akira and Harry seemed a little hesitant to do so. As they went round the other corner, Hermione couldn't resist shooting one last look. Lavender's leg was hiked up to Parvati's hips, exposing creamy white skin. Parvati's hand was feeling around on her chest, both of them groaning. Hermione's steps quickened and soon they were clear of the woods. Beside her, Akira's was softly chuckling, while Harry seemed amused. Ron simply looked confused.

"Did – did you guys see that?" He said disbelievingly. Harry looked sympathetically to Ron while Akira just snorted.

Hermione felt her face heating up. _Who would have thought?_ She turned as she heard footsteps rapidly approaching them. Cho Chang's face came into view as she rounded the corner with her friend, both their faces flushed.

"Well! You don't see _that_ everyday!" Cho said a little breathlessly, eyes sparkling. She stiffened slightly at the sight of Harry, and for a confused moment, Hermione felt a stab of jealousy. Of who, she didn't know.

"Hi Akira." Cho said to the other Asian girl.

Akira nodded in return, still smiling broadly.

"Who really would have thought? Those two girls? I thought they liked guys!" Harry said suddenly, drawing Cho's eyes to him.

"Must be bisexual, then." Akira said, eyeing Cho and Harry, quickly understanding the tension that had engulfed them earlier. Then her eyes found Hermione, something the latter found very disconcerting. It was as if Akira was reading her mind, by her discomfort. Cho's friend tugged at her sleeve.

"So. I'll be off, then." Cho slowly said, looking at her friend in surprise, as if she had forgotten the girl's presence. The friend started to move away before Cho could introduce her, and together, they turned around the corner.

There was an uncomfortable silence as the four of them stood. Ron looked clearly like he was thinking about Lavender and Parvati.

"It may be better not to mention anything to them." Hermione said. Then louder again as it seemed that Ron didn't hear. Catching her eye, he nodded silently.

End of Chapter


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you! God its good to hear that _someone_ actually reads this stuff! o.O

Chapter Four:

The time after dinner came quickly. Hermione found herself strolling behind Harry, who was behind Akira, in the dark dungeons. Ron was not present.

"Over here." Akira motioned in the same room that Harry had seen her the other night.

Hermione held her breath as a sudden foreboding enveloped her. Akira walked swiftly to the adjoining room. She motioned for them to follow. Then she flicked her wand, and the whole room was illuminated.

"Look at the bookshelves." The girl said.

Harry started towards it, Hermione following behind him. Hermione reached out, grasping an old volume with both hands reverently.

"Old Magick Surviving the Pillage." Hermione read the title, noting how "magic" was "magick" here. Harry looked over her shoulders, and Hermione felt the fleeting urge to move away. Harry was standing way too close, his breath hot on her neck. He seemed oblivious to her discomfort.

"There are many kinds of magic in this world." Akira said from the other side of the room. "There are, your kind of magic. Wizards and witches, casting spells with wands. And there are-", she paused, "magic that is connected directly to your blood. Spells that are not spells at all. Things that can be done without a wand as well as with one. I'm not an expert on this, but I will try to explain to the best of my abilities. Mages, Druids, Priests and Priestesses, Shamans… a lot more, you get my drift? I'll just dub them 'Magick' people." Her steely gaze was directed very studiously away from Hermione and Harry.

"But… but these people, they happened a long time ago. Centuries ago, when wizards and witches were given little thought, these shamans and druids and the like thrived on importantly, each minding their own business but secretly competing with each other. You know why the wizards and witches were given little thought?" She asked them, her voice hard. "I'll dub them 'Magic' people." She continued.

"No…" Harry said softly. Hermione just shook her head.

"Because they were deemed inferior!" Akira said, waving her arms. "They had to _practice_ magic, or read about it and the like! They had to learn as if they were learning algebra or something! They are completely useless without their wands… Oh I don't know how to explain, but that's why they were deemed low. Then, for some reason, all those druids and shamans and mages were slowly dying down, while the magic people thrived… there are only a few believed to be alive, today. But that's not just 'it.' There isn't this that appears on any written record in history, but there is a race, a very old race, millions of years, even… what Dumbledore calls ishas or what is properly known as _Krishvas_. One way or the other, though, it's still the same. These are people who have weird powers. These are people who can _tap_ into all kinds of magick, or magic! You get me?" Akira's voice rose with frustration.

Hermione held her breath in anticipation, and she noticed Harry had too.

"Do you realize how powerful these people were? They could be anything! A Druid, a Mage, a Wizard or a Witch. But they had to choose a specialty, or else they go mad. Or they could be their true selves. Tyriends have a different kind of power. Just like telekinesis, I guess… but… it's really difficult to explain. I've looked up in all sorts of books… but there just isn't one that mentions Tyriends or Krishvas…" Akira finally looked at them, her eyes glistening.

Harry and Hermione slowly went near her, where they sat at either side.

"Dumbledore… he says he doesn't know. I… I am a descendant of these people. I am the only one left. It was some unknown disease that kept killing us… and weird thing is, one of the powers of my kind is retaining some memory of our past lives. Scary huh? I can actually remember some time thousand of years ago when the disease first became known. And there isn't anything about my kind in written history. I wonder why." Her face showed grief, but her eyes were strangely dead. Hermione and Harry awkwardly folded their arms around her.

After a while, when they three were sitting in comfortable silence, Akira spoke up.

"That's why Dumbledore sent for me. _Me_. Because I'm the only one left. He seems to think that I could help him win against Voldemort." She said, saying the Dark Lord's name clearly. Hermione gave a start, then nodded approvingly as Harry did the same.

"Harry, last night, Snape was teaching me some complex spells." Akira suddenly said. "I'm handling multiple talents." She grinned ironically through her tears.

"That explains it." Harry said, thinking of the strange gateway. A small part of his brain focused on the rise and fall of Akira's chest, and Hermione's warm arm interlocking with his.

"I don't want anyone else to find out…"

Hermione nodded in understanding. She including Ron in that; she noticed that Ron was narrow-minded.

"Harry, can I join your D.A classes?" Akira asked tentatively, referring to the group that Harry had formed in their fifth year, whose aim was to know all kinds of spells that they were supposed to learn in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. They had disbanded in the end of the year, though Harry and Hermione had talked about forming the group again. They were already spreading the news. And this time, the D.A. would be an official school group.

Harry nodded immediately, Hermione not far behind him, though she frowned fleetingly before doing so.

"Most appropriate. You could teach them a lot of things, Akira." A voice said gently from the archway.

Akira's head whipped to it, then sighed visibly when she saw it was only Dumbledore.

"Professor, how do you know we're here?" Hermione asked, then thought better of it. He always knew everything.

"Oh, I just happened to take a walk down the corridor when I heard voices." Dumbledore smiled. Then he cleared his head. "Harry, I'm afraid Ms. Yamamura has been too humble. She is very powerful. Of course, with the exception of a few…" Dumbledore suggested slyly, before turning his back to them. "I'm afraid I'm too tired to stay and chat. Goodnight to you all." His voice floated to them from the other room.

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, then turned as one to Akira, who was deathly pale. She looked surprised.

"No I'm not…" She mumbled, color rapidly returning to her cheeks in the form of the color red.

"Maybe you could even be our teacher." Harry said slowly.

Akira shook her head vigorously. "Maybe I could help, once in a while." She mumbled. She glanced at her watch.

"It's late, we should start back or else Fitch comes moseying in. He caught me once, luckily Snape was with me." She said.

Harry nodded, and they slowly started back towards the Gryffindor tower.

From the shadows, Draco Malfoy stepped forward, a smug smirk on his lips as he watched the trio's retreating figures walk away from him. "My, my, my. Brilliant, I'd have to say so myself." Was all he said as he swept away towards the dungeons.

The next day, Hermione woke with a smile on her lips. For some reason, she was feeling extremely happy. She prepared herself for the day, the Sunday sun shining through the slit in the drapery.

"Come on, Hermione!" Ginny squealed beside her. Hermione shot her a look.

"What are you so excited about?" She asked.

"Oh… am I that obvious?" She asked impishly.

"Ginny… if I didn't know any better, I'd have said that you were in _love_." Hermione gushed out the last word, batting her eyelashes. Then she gave a disgusted sound.

"Oh! Course not! I'm just happy today. Have you seen Akira?" Ginny said, tactfully changing the topic.

"Dunno. She goes off mostly with Katie Bell nowadays. She shrugged. Ginny just looked at her oddly.

They went to the Common Room in time to hear Ron exclaim, "Where are those girls? What are they, what are they, snails?"

Harry laughed then broke off as he spotted Ginny and Hermione glaring at them. Ron just laughed.

"About time!" He said.

The Great Hall was filled with the usual morning grunts. As they sat, Hermione abruptly remembered her Diary, which was lying atop her bed. _What if somebody reads it!_ She thought, fear crawling up her spine.

"Uh, I forgot something!" She bolted upright.

"Want me to go with you?" Ginny asked as she stuffed a pancake into her mouth.

"Nah, I'll only be a minute." Hermione said, starting off in great, brisk strides.

"Hello there, mudblood. Please watch where you're going. I already took a bath, see, and I don't want to get dirty again. Most especially with mudblood dirt." Draco drawled when he and Hermione almost collided on the corridor. Pansy shrieked hysterically, and Draco rolled his eyes at the silly girl. _Bimbo…_

"Stuff it, ferret-boy." She replied distractedly, her mind still on her diary. She would simply die if somebody read it. There were just too intimate things in there.

Draco cocked his eye at the retreating figure of the mudblood. _Did it just ignore me?_ He thought, a hand on his chin, stroking thoughtfully. With a shrug, he shook his head.

Hermione hurried back to the Great Hall with a pleased smile on her face.

"Why are you smiling?" Harry cocked his head at her.

"Oh nothing." She replied, thanking the lord above that the diary was still as she left it.

Harry tried to catch her eye a few times, but then finally gave up, as she was engrossed in conversation with Ginny. Beside him, Harry noticed that Ron was shooting Hermione wondering looks. Harry surmised that Ron was still adjusting to Hermione's sudden bloom. This time, there was no denying that she was a very pretty girl. He smiled, thinking that Ron and Hermione ought to be together. He ignored the tightening of his stomach at the thought as nerves. He had something to look forward to. Quidditch practice this afternoon.

That night, as Harry and Ron sat sluggishly down at the Common Room, Hermione passed carrying a bundle of muggle paper. They were the only ones left, except for a few first years dozing off with their homework in their faces.

"What are you doing with that?" Harry cocked his head at her.

"Well, since I'm in the mood for it, I am going to write a fanfiction about Smallville, a muggle show, and pass it to somewhere someweher."She replied distractedly.

"Oh you mean that gorgeous hunk Tom Welling!" Ron asked excitedly from the couch.

"Oh that oh so sexy Kristin Kreuk!" Ginny sighed right after Ron.

Harry and Hermione shot them puzzled looks. Ron and Ginny seemed to realize the oddity of what they had just said. They were both as red as their hairs. Harry raised his eyebrow at them while Hermione gave a nervous chuckle.

"What are you guys now, the Bi Weasleys? Or all the way?" She said jokingly, though there were tight lines under her eyes.

Harry shot Ron one last odd look then he turned to Hermione. _Homophobic..._ He thought, eyeing Hermione who was now as red as the Weasleys.

"Well!" Hermione cleared her throat dismissively.

They all went back to what they were doing before.

Harry was engrossed in conversation with Ron as Hermione furiously scribbled down on her paper. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny staring at Hermione. Then an odd thought popped into his mind. _Is she checking her out?_ He thought incredulously. _Nah…_ Harry turned his attention back to Ron.

"Did you notice her broom? What was it? Sure was fast…" Ron scratched his chin, a trace of envy in his voice. His own broom was a slow one. It was cheap, what could he say? Ron had always been envious of Harry's Firebolt. He was always jealous of one thing or another.

"No. But it was fast…" Harry replied. That afternoon, when he had spotted the snitch, he had zoomed with all his speed towards it. Then Akira was zooming by him just as if he was slow. She swung by the snitch, grinning at him. But unlike most guys, Harry didn't get egotistical and jealous. He had been impressed, saying so over and over.

"I'm sneaking out." Hermione announced, interrupting his reverie.

"Why?" Ron turned sharply to her.

"I have writer's block. I can't think. My story was going just fine, and then now I can't even understand it."

"You… you want to be alone?" Harry asked tentatively. When Hermione nodded, he asked, "You want the cloak?"

"Nah… I'll manage." She replied, and then swung out the Fat Lady.

The Common Room was dead quiet long after the portrait swung close.

Hermione walked briskly beside the lake, shivering and rubbing her hands together. Despite the intense cold, she was comfortable. She liked the cold. Hermione stopped and stood staring out into the lake, the moon majestically reflected against the surface. She was reminded of the story Swan Lake that her mother used to tell her at night. The thought of her mother made Hermione give a small sigh. She missed her family.

She stood there for a few minutes, drinking in the night. She felt trance-like. Then suddenly, a cool hand slid down her neck. Hermione, who thought that she was now daydreaming about Harry, gave a little sigh and leaned towards the hand. Then a second hand joined in, running slowly down her waist. Hermione sighed again and leaned her body against Harry's. She felt the solid body behind the robes, then the bulge that pressed against on her back. Hermione suddenly stiffened. This felt all too real. And the figure behind her definitely wasn't Harry. This one was much taller. With a confused gasp, Hermione pushed back and ran forward, then stumbled as her foot caught on a rock. When she turned, whoever it was was gone._ If there really was someone there!_ She thought, thinking that she was going mad. With a shudder, she gathered her robes together and ran all the way back to the castle.

End of Chapter


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Draco ducked behind the tall mahogany tree, panting. _What the fuck?_ He wailed furiously. _What was I thinking!_ Then a small voice said from the back of his head, _oh but you liked it very much…_ It said evilly. Draco shuddered violently. Thank God he ran away just in time. If anyone, even that filthy mudblood, saw him commit the deed, he would simply _die._

"That was disgusting." He said briskly, wrinkling his nose in deep disgust.

What he had been thinking, he didn't know. He arranged his memories in his head, going over them. He couldn't sleep, so he took a walk all around Hogwarts. When he was almost finished completing his semi-circle of the lake on the fourth time, somebody was standing there, close to the water. As Draco neared, he saw her. The girl's hair was rippling gently behind her. She was huddled on herself, her face pressed slightly towards the lake. Draco neared and looked at the girl's face. Her eyes were closed, and there was a nostalgic smile on her mouth. She looked so _peaceful_ that Draco was actually a bit freaked out. _No one is supposed to look like that_. He thought. He then had smirked to himself, thinking that it was this was the girl's lucky night. He, the Great Draco Malfoy, had found her attractive. _She's actually quite pretty,_ he thought.

Then as he moved for the closing kill, he realized with a start that the girl standing in front of him was none other that Hermione Mudblood Granger, Hogwart's official bitch in residence. His hands froze in front of her face. Draco expected to belch, but to his surprise, his hands had moved with a mind of their own. He ran his hand across her neck, running his other hand down her waist. Draco pressed himself snugly as he heard her sigh and lean against him. Draco lowered his head to her neck, intending to start sucking on her pale, smooth skin. It was a bit of a fetish to him, actually. As he was descending, he thought, _this is Hermione Granger!_ But he brushed it away.

Then Hermione suddenly pushed against him, scrambling away as fast as she can. With a muttered curse, Draco ran towards the trees, pumping his long legs as fast as they could carry him. When he looked back, he saw Hermione oddly looking at the spot that he was on a mere three seconds ago. He was a fast runner. Then Hermione turned, running back towards the castle.

Draco shuddered again, lifting his hands to his face. He pressed them against his cheeks. They were hot. He thought of his father, who would kill him if he knew. Draco winced subconsciously. He still had several bruises hidden underneath his solid black robes. _My poor, otherwise flawless body…_ A small voice said in the back of his head, and Draco subconsciously nodded in reply. _Poor Mum, _he thought vaguely. Though he thought that she was nothing more than a weak, insignificant woman, he still winced for her with every shuddering blow that his father had showered upon her back. Oh she had tried to express her love for him, but Draco adored his father. He was always right, after all. Women were only mere possessions of men. A woman's place was in the man's bed.

And if she wasn't, then a good beating should serve her just fine.

Draco turned and started back to the castle. All this thinking of women crying out loud in pain had given him a hard-on. He tried to forget about the mudblood encounter. He looked forward to seeing Pansy again tonight.

Students' clatter filled Harry's ears as he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny waded their way through the winding streets of Hogsmeade.

"Oh, I've never been here! Let's try here for once!" Ginny said beside him, pointing to a two story brick tavern.

"Oh I suppose something different would be nice." Hermione said, already starting off towards it, Ginny hot on her heels.

Ron shot Harry a dark look.

"Looks girly to me..." He said.

Harry shrugged and followed the girls slowly. They passed by several shops before their destination. At one shop, Seamus and Dean were gushing excitedly into a broom shop, though Harry suspected that the only reason they were in it in the first place was the pretty girl behind the counter.

Harry was about to go in with the others when he spotted something suspicious.

"Come on mate." Ron beckoned to him from inside the tavern.

"I'll join you in just a moment." He waved distractedly, his eyes following the back of a blonde head that was weaving hurriedly through the crowd. Harry knew in his gut that it was Lucius. He was moving fast, and Harry banged into a few people as he started to jog.

"Hey! Watch it punk, or I'm a bust you're freakin brains out! Freakin-" A girl immaculately dressed in black with a hundred rings on one ear and none on the other bellowed to him, shaking her fist which had a tattoo of a naked girl.

"Sorry!" Harry called back then did a double take. He turned his head to find the girl again, but she had vanished. Harry gave himself a little shake and searched for the blonde head again. Luckily, just when he thought he had lost it, a blonde head emerged from a store and hurried again to the direction that Harry was heading. There were a lot of blondes, but Harry knew in his gut that this was the one. Harry ducked behind a barrel as the head looked back, then he crouched rapidly to gain on Lucius. Harry didn't know why he was following Lucius, but he felt that if he didn't follow, he'd be missing out on something. Something big. Harry caught sight of the man's head as it went ducked into the alleyway behind Hog's Head. Harry hesitated, then cautiously followed. The alleyway was empty. Harry's ears started to ring. He felt his chest tightened.

"Shit... " He muttered under his breath.

As he turned, it was just in time to see to see an arrow rocketing straight towards his heart.

_Welcome to the planet_

_Welcome to existence_

_Everyone's here_

_Everyone's here_

_Everybody's watching you now_

_Everybody waits for you now_

Harry swam in the darkness, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, feeling nothing. He was nothing. Then one tiny circle of light opened before him. He didn't have a body. He was just a mass. But Harry started running towards it. How and why didn't exist in this world. There was just nothing. But Harry ran.

_What happens next_

_What happens next_

Harry ran towards the light in a never ending tunnel. As he passed by, manic laughing reverberated all throughout, echoing mercilessly. He turned his head and saw that skulls adorned the walls. He saw without seeing, he heard without hearing. Then he felt the darkness swallow him. Fear clutched his heart. He was losing.

_Dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

Harry heard voices calling to him, taunting him as he ran towards the light. Sinister laughter echoed by manic screams hurled at him from every direction. He felt his chest tighten, his lungs heaving. Then he felt nothing.

_I dare you to move_

_Dare you to move_

_Like it did never happen_

_It did never happen before…_

Harry once more feebly opened his eyes. The light was so far away… he reached his handless hands towards it.

_Welcome to the far out_

If only he could reach it…

_Welcome to existence_

Just a little more…

_Tension is here_

_Tension is here_

Harry was weakening…

_Between who you are and who you could be…_

_Between how it is and how it should be…_

His life flashed before him. His parents, the Dursleys, Ron and Ginny, Cho…. Hermione….

_Dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

Faster, ever so faster. Cho, Ron, Ginny, Hermione. Ron, Ginny, Hermione. Cho. Hermione. Ron. Hermione.

_Dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Like it did never happen_

_It did never happen _

The images were so fast that Harry couldn't even see them anymore. Just felt them. Then darkness swallowed him whole once again. A strange feeling of peace and contentment settled over him, and Harry began to close his eyes softly.

_Maybe redemption has stories to tell_

_Maybe forgiveness is right by you found_

_Where can you want to escape from yourself_

Harry felt the peace and contentment settle over him, and he was happy. The light was very far away now…

_Where you gonna go?_

_Where you gonna go?_

_Salvation is here…_

Before he could close his eyes, the light suddenly shone brighter. It was a fire raging, filling the darkness with immeasurable warmth

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

Fire raged through him, burning his very core. Ice flowed through his veins, freezing his soul.

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Like it did never happen_

_It did never happen_

_It did never happen _

_It did never happen before….._

The light had filled the darkness. Blinding, hot light. Deafening noise. Throat wrenching shouts. Harry opened his eyes. He was alive.

Harry opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he saw was Hermione's worried face hovering just above his.

"He's awake!" She shrieked.

Ron came into view, then Ginny, and soon there were a dozen faces that swam in front of his face.

"Oy! You kids get out of there! He needs his peace!" A woman's voice echoed through his sluggish consciousness.

"Get well soon, Harry…" Hermione's voice swam in his head before he sank back into unconsciousness.

"It was lucky she was there." Ron said.

"Yeah. Harry was actually dead when she got to him, right? No spell to take back the dead…" Hermione whispered.

Ginny nodded silently.

That Akira had brought Harry back to life was no secret. Hermione had whipped from the tavern when she heard the shouts, Ron and Ginny beside her. When she had gotten out onto the street, a dozen kids had already circled Harry. Why he was in the alleyway Hermione did not know. She had started towards him. When she got to him, McGonagall was already beside him, gesturing for everyone to get back. Hermione fell beside her with a cry when she saw the arrow protruding from his chest. McGonagall looked as if she herself was about to cry. A low buzz had filled Hermione's eyes as the first tears fell. Beside her the professor was muttering over and over.

"He's dead. He's dead. He's dead. Oh God, Dumbledore… He's dead…" McGonagall slumped.

Then there was a shout, and students began backing off. Hermione looked up through a veil of tears to see Akira kneel beside her, her hands on Harry's chest. She began chanting, and to Hermione's eyes, a strange glow had begun to surround her. Hermione squinted. Akira was dimly glowing. Then there was a cough, and Hermione looked as Harry gave a great cough, then the arrow just… disintegrated… into a million bright lights that trailed slowly up into the sky. Then McGonagall was on her feet, bringing Harry with her wand towards Hogwarts. He was still unconscious, but the arrow was gone, and so was the gaping hole on his chest. Hermione shook her head in confusion. She had no chance to ask Akira. As soon as Dumbledore got out from Harry's ward, he had whisked the girl away. Half a week later, Harry was still unconscious, and Akira was nowhere to be seen. And for some reason, Draco was fuming. She had seen him walk around red in the face, muttering and snapping angrily to his friends. Hermione shook her head. Ron and Ginny waited silently with her outside the hospital wing. It was soon expected that Harry wake up for good. They were all waiting eagerly.

The door slowly opened. Madam Pomfrey slowly put her head out.

"He's awake. But not the three of you together; he's still a bit weak." She said.

Ron waited for Hermione.

"No, you both go ahead." She whispered.

They both nodded and went in. Hermione stood alone outside, wringing her hands. She felt very nervous. And scared. There was no doubt in her mind that she loved him. Loved him for so long. But he didn't know. In the past, it was Hermione herself who had helped Harry patch up his relationship with Cho. It was her who had swallowed her anger and jealousy, remaining to be his friend. She knew that Ron liked her… But Ron will never be Harry. And Harry… well, Hermione knew that he was still in love with Cho Chang.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave…" She muttered to herself.

"Oh, how right you ever are!" drawled a voice behind her.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" She hissed as she turned.

"Nothing at all whatsoever! I was just passing by, when I noticed the stench. I figured you were nearby." He replied, gesturing to the air and wrinkling his nose. Then he sneered at her.

"Stuff it. Why don't you just get a life?" Hermione said angrily. She was nearing her limit.

"But I enjoy putting filthy icky mudbloods into their rightful places. If I had my way, your sniveling kind wouldn't even exist in the first place. I'll wipe every single one of you till the air we Purebloods breathe is actually clean." He said slowly, rubbing every single word to her.

Hermione felt her face tighten. That was too much.

"Why you pale faced, skinny little piece of shit!" She hissed. Draco blinked. "You think you're so much better? Just look at your ugly, sickly face, why don't you! Just look at yourself! No body loves you, Malfoy! You're father would kill you if Voldermort just so implies it! Your mother doesn't give a fuck, so long as it doesn't overly concern her! And every one of your so called friends would as soon as stab you in the back if they thought it would get them somewhere. You're pathetic, Malfoy. You're born alone, you'll live alone, and you'll die alone. So why don't you just do us a favor and kill yourself?" She hissed at him, her face red.

Draco just stood there, staring at her. He blinked several times.

"Why you little bitch…" He muttered, starting towards her.

Hermione raised her chin. She was not afraid of him. Malfoy pressed himself against her, pushing her all the way to the wall. Hermione could feel him shaking with anger. His face was red, and his eyes were murderous. Under her robes, she gripped her wand tightly. Hermione had never been so close to Malfoy, and despite the situation, she had time to notice that the color of his eyes were very startling. They were a vivid ice blue.

Then without another word, he whirled off, cloaks billowing behind him. It was Hermione's turn to blink several times.

"Well, he's feeling a bit better now." Ron announced as the door swung fully open. Ginny trailed after him.

Hermione nodded and went in.

"Hermione..." Harry gave a weak smile from where he lay down.

Hermione smiled in return, standing quietly beside him. Then Harry took her hand in his, and gave a weak squeeze. Then almost immediately, his eyes began to close. He opened them hastily, but almost at once they started to inch down again. He muttered something incoherently.

Hermione nodded in understanding. He was too weak yet. There had been some unknown poison on the arrowhead. To think it actually pierced his chest. She shuddered and put the thought away. She gave his hand a small squeeze, then went out the door, leaving Harry muttering in his sleep already.

End of Chapter


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